Video editing and Photo editing are two very different types of editing. People do have a lot of arguments regarding this topic, and some of the arguments can be a little factual.
While the concept of editing can be similar in both of them, their entire use case and presentation of both of them are entirely different.
In this article, I will try to find out some of the logical differences that you can find in both of them and see which one best suits for you.
It should be noted I am not a professional video editor or a photo editor, but I have dipped my toe in both of these fields and would like to consider you as someone who knows a thing or two about them.
Contents
What is Video editing?
Let’s first start with the overall simple question; what exactly is video editing? On the internet, you will find different types of definitions regarding video editing, but at the core of it, it is pretty simple.
Video editing revolves around editing and manipulating short clips into one desired video. You can add as many types of effects and filters to it as you like, but at the core of it all, you are doing mostly the same.
Video editing has grown in popularity recently thanks to the overabundance of video-related content that we all face in our day-to-day lives, and I have written many articles on video editing.
If you want to know more about it and how you can earn money from becoming a video editor, you can read those articles as well.
What is Photo editing?
After discussing what video editing is all about, let’s discuss a little more about photo editing as well. Photo editing, as I mentioned above, may have a similar concept to video editing, but it is used for completely different reasons.
Photo editing also revolves around editing and manipulating an image as per your desired knowledge.
That being said, photo editing is used for either products, posters, etc.; basically, anything that has to do with an image may need photo editing.
Photo editing has been around for quite some time now, and it has also somewhat seen a boom as more and more apps are present these days that allow users to equally edit their photos.
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Skills required for video editing
You can find millions of different skills on the internet that you might need for video editing, but the main skill that any video editor requires is patience.
Video editing demands a lot of patience as there are so many times that you are dealing with so many different files and clips at the same time that it can become quite overbearing for anybody.
I have had people and editors who have been really stressed out by the process of video editing because it just becomes too much for them.
So the skill of being patient enough and the ability to manage each and every task calmly is the most important skill you might need to learn for video editing.
Skills required for photo editing
Now, photo editing also requires patience as you are dealing with different layers of edits and are able to do so much for creativity, but that’s not the main skill that you need as a photo editor.
If you are editing images, then the main skill that you need is the skill of attentiveness. You need to pay a lot of attention to every single detail of the image that you are editing.
You can’t very easily just edit out an image and place a number of filters on it, and call it a day. No, each and every individual image that you are editing can be fixed to one degree or not.
You have the responsibility of making it look as great as you can and seeing what all mistakes and errors are present in the image.
Now you can’t do that if you are not attentive enough and you don’t have a keen eye on the mistakes or the raw edges that you missed out.
So, the skill that I think that you need the most if you are an image editor has got to be the skill of being attentive.
Advantages of video editing
Video editing has its fair share of advantages, and a lot of people know about it as well.
Opportunity – For starters, the entire industry of video editing has seen a tremendous rise. You can create many types of videos and earn a lot of good money from editing them.
There is a high demand of being a video editor these days, and if you are someone who thinks you can edit a lot of videos, then you have chosen a good field.
Lots of resources – It is very easy to become a video editor these days. You have so many different resources available these days that allow you to learn how to become a good video editor.
You have different types of video editing apps and softwares available that all target different groups of people based on the level of difficulty related to video editing.
Also read: How to choose the right Video Editing App
Disadvantages of video editing
With everything that has a certain amount of advantages, you can also find yourself with certain disadvantages as well.
Taxing – Video editing is a fun job, but it is very taxing as well. It takes a lot of work to edit a simple two-minute video clip as well, and even if you have edited tons of videos, it just doesn’t get simpler.
Each project has its different sets of challenges, and the overall process can be very taxing for anybody.
This is why so many people end up hiring video editors than learning how to edit themselves because it is just that much more simpler.
Money – The money that video editors make is fairly decent for the work that they do. Even the ones who have made it and are editing a number of different projects do end up working for more than one firm or person.
This is because the overall money that is earned by video editors per project is not enough for the work that is put in.
In fact, I have written a separate article where I discuss how much do video editors actually get paid; you can read that one as well.
Advantages of photo editing
Photo editing has certain levels of advantages as well. Let’s discuss some of them.
Very creative – I am not saying that video editing is not creative, you can be very creative in that field as well, but photo editing can be genuinely fun if you are pretty good at it.
If you learn how to use popular photo editing softwares like Photoshop, you automatically want to learn more ways to improve your overall image. It is genuinely fun to edit images.
Lots of resources – If you think that video editing has great resources, then you should check out the number of resources you have for image editing.
You can join in a different number of courses on how to edit your images correctly, how to properly apply colour science and everything else regarding photo editing.
There are numerous different softwares that are available which are also quite fun and easy to use as well.
Disadvantages of photo editing
Photo editing also has certain disadvantages as well.
Lack of opportunities – Photo editing is not a separate category that a lot of people look for in hiring people. Generally, it is given that if you are a photographer, you know how to edit images as well.
People don’t usually hire photo editors the same way they hire people just for editing videos.
Expensive softwares – Photo editing softwares, I have mentioned a couple of them below, are not inexpensive to come by. You have to pay a lot of money for such softwares if you are serious about this profession.
So it is not a simple and easy occupation that you are getting into if you are thinking of getting into this field.
Software required for video editing
There are plenty of different video editing softwares that are available right now in the market; if you want to know more about them, I have written separate articles on them; you can check them out.
Here are just some of the softwares that are available right now.
Adobe Premiere Pro
Premiere Pro is one of the more expensive options that are available, but it is also considered one of the best video editing softwares that are present right now in the market.
You will find yourself overwhelmed with a number of customisation that you are able to do on this software for your videos.
Price – You can get Premiere Pro for $20.99/month for an annual commitment. You can also pay $31.49/month for no commitment.
Features
- Integration with Adobe Products
- VR support editing
- Audio editing and mixing
- Colour grading tools
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Great list of features and effects ✅Integration with Adobe Products ✅Available on both Windows and Mac devices | ❌A steep learning curve ❌Powerful computer required to run the software smoothly |
Filmora
Filmora is also a popular option in the world of video editing. It offers a great range of features that you might find in some other high-end video editing softwares.
The overall price and package of Filmora are also quite affordable compared to some other video editing softwares.
Price – you will have to pay around $49.99/year, and if you want to have lifetime access to it, then you will have to pay $69.99.
Features
- Simple and easy to use UI
- Various different templates and animations
- Text animations
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Simple UI ✅Tons of different effects and titles ✅Easy editing features | ❌No monthly subscription fee ❌Doesn’t work well with heavy files |
Software required for photo editing
I have also written articles where I discuss in-depth about the different softwares that are available for editing photos; here are just some of them.
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is by far the most popular and best-known image editing software that is present in the market right now. There is just a lot that you can do with this software.
You have multiple different effects, layers, filters, etc., that you can use for editing your images.
Price – Photoshop is available in the Adobe Creative Cloud Plan, but if you want to purchase it alone, then you have to pay $20.99/month!
Features
- Great mobile and web-design tools
- Many editing features
- Powerful software
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅A lot of different editing tools ✅Many drawing tools are available ✅Clean UI | ❌Very expensive ❌Steep learning curve |
Canva
Canva is an online option that you can try out for editing your images. It is fairly simple and easy to use, yet, at the same time, you are greeted with a multitude of different features and effects on it.
Price – Canva can be used for free, but if you want to access all of its premium features, then you would have to shell out $199/year.
Features
- Different types of effects for editing images
- Simple for most people
- Various tools for making a collage
- Easy to understand UI
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅The free plan has many different features and functionalities ✅Easy to understand ✅Simple UI | ❌No offline work |
Which is more suitable for you?
Well, then, it all boils down to you. Which software and profession is best suited for you? They are both incredibly creative fields, and you are able to do a lot in both of them.
If you are someone who is interested in the world of filmmaking and videos, then your obvious bet would be to go for video editing. It is pretty taxing, but the end result is worth it.
The same is for photo editing as well, although you have to be a photographer to be a photo editor as well, so if you are in that field, then you know which field you should go into.
FAQs
Let’s discuss some of the frequent questions that people have regarding this topic.
Is photo editing easier than video editing?
Absolutely not. Both video editing and photo editing are two very different and difficult skills to master. You can’t simply say which one is simpler than the other.
You have the ability to make a lot of great products from both of them, but both of them require a certain amount of time and effort to master them.
So, to answer it plainly and simply, photo editing is not easier than video editing.
Which is better, video editing or Photoshop?
Comparing video editing to Photoshop is like comparing fruits to Doritos. They are not the same category; video editing is a profession, and Photoshop is a software that is used in the profession of image editing.
Photoshop is a difficult software to master because you have tons of different tools that are available on it.
Whereas there are different softwares available for video editing as well, which are also quite difficult to master simply because there are also many different types of tools available on it.
Is video editing worth learning?
If you are into filmmaking and everything related to videos, then I would say, yes, video editing is worth learning. It is a great skill to learn because it allows you to express your ideas quite freely to others.
You can make a living just out of video editing as well, and the overall knowledge that you develop from video editing just doesn’t end at video editing; it goes beyond that field.
So I would recommend you learn video editing if you are passionate about it; otherwise, it is just too taxing.
Also read: Types of video editing software
Conclusion
Well, there you have it, an article dedicated to video editing and photo editing. They are not the same profession, and they are quite different from one another.
I tried to keep the entire article more factual than turning into a debate because I have seen a lot of debates regarding this topic, and from someone who has done both video editing and photo editing to some extent, I know some of the more obvious differences between the two.
As always, these have been my thoughts regarding this topic. What about you? Do you agree with what I just wrote, or do you have different opinions regarding it?
Whatever your thoughts are, do let us know about them in the comments down below!
